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From Autism Transition Handbook

An Online Resource for Families in Pennsylvania

Welcome!  

The goal of this Handbook is to establish a community of collaborators who will add relevant and timely content to this site to ensure that individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their families have access to the most current and comprehensive information on transition services in Pennsylvania. If you would like more information on how to use the site, please click here, and if you would like to join our list of editors, kindly email autismwiki@devereux.org.

What is Transition?

“Transition is the process occurring during the four to six years (or longer) before the student leaves school. Parents, students and school personnel and other agencies must determine what the educational system will do to make the move as seamless as possible. This process involves developing transition goals and objectives as part of the Individualized Educational Program for students in Special Education.” ^[1]

Table of Contents

Notes on Use: This site includes internal links and external links. Internal links are highlighted in blue or purple. External links are highlighted in blue and noted with an arrow facing upwards. Acronyms are used frequently on this site. Please refer to the Pennsylvania DPW's excellent Autism acronym list and general acronyms list for definitions.

• Laws and Regulations
• Transition Planning during the School Years  
• Pennsylvania Support Services (Waivers)
• Applying for Social Security and Medicaid
• Health Care
• Transition to Work
• Post-Secondary Education
• Living in the Community
• Family Support, Education and Advocacy
• Recreation
• Guardianship and Financial Planning
• Other Financial Resources
• Web Resources
• Appendices

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments: The development of this handbook (as well as other transition support materials) was funded through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education; we would like to express our gratitude for their ongoing support. The Handbook was written by Brittany Hansen, M.Ed, Kate Dickey, and Todd Harris, Ph.D., Director of Autism Services, Devereux. In 2008, under Dr. Harris' leadership and funded by a grant from the Bureau of Autism Services, Devereux launched the Community Adult Autism Partnership Program (CAAPP) to provide innovative community-based support services to adults with ASD and their families. These services include employment assessment, preparation, and placement; support for consumers enrolled in university and college programs; social skills training and groups; community-based instruction; instruction in home settings; and family education and support activities. We are also grateful for the support of the Organization for Autism Research which provided content for the sections on Transition to Work, Living in the Community and Post-Secondary Education. Finally, we would like to thank Devereux staff and Devereux families for providing input and suggestions and the students at Devereux CARES (our approved private school for students with Autism) and the individuals served by Devereux CAAPP, and all of their families for the inspiration they provide us every day.

The Autism Transition Handbook was designed with the support of Jersey Cow (http://www.jerseycow.com) which provides strategy, architecture, and implementation for e-learning environments, and in-depth problem-solving to publishers, children's media, and non-profit providers.

References

1. ↑ Transition: The Bridge to Adult Living. York, PA: Parent Education Network, 2000